Receptacle support



y 14, 1964 H. J. ALBRYCHT RECEPTACLE SUPPORT Filed Aug. 8, 1961 INVENTOR HARRY J. ALBRYGHT United States Patent "cc 3,140,557 RECEPTACLE SUPPORT Harry J. Albrycht, 12 Bartlett St., Amsterdam, N; Filed Aug. 8, 1961, Ser. No. 130,144 6 Claims. (Cl. 45-428) The present invention relates to receptacle supports and is concerned more particularly with receptacles such as soap trays and means for supporting the same in a shower bath.

It is well known that bath tub soap trays are usually provided onor .adjacent' the upper wall thereof in a position convenient for access by aperson .sitting in the bath tub but inan inconvenient position 'for access by a person standing in the tub' and using the shower attachment which "is usually associated with bath tubs. Also, where a separate" soap tray is supported on the shower curtain rod 'it is 'also'inconvenient for access by a person using the shower "bath who then must reach upwardly over his head to obtain access. In either instance, whether the user is required to reach downwardly or upwardly there is not only an annoying inconvenience but also the danger of slipping with resultant serious bodily injury.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present in vention to provide a support means for a soap tray wherein the soap tray may be positioned in a shower bath at the hand level for ready access by the user thus to avoid any inconvenience and to promote safety.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a support means which is adapted removably to support a soap tray so that only a single soap tray may be employed for a person sitting in the bath tub or a person standing for shower bathing.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a receptacle such as a soap tray and a support means therefor which may be securely locked together when desired so as not to be accidentally disengaged yet, when desired, are capable of ready detachment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein preferred embodiments of the principles of the invention have been selected for exemplification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a combination bath tub and shower bath showing one form of the present invention installed in operable position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a similar shower bath portion showing another form of the invention installed in operative position but with the hanger portion being partially broken away;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a soap tray partially broken away to show the support means, indicated in fragment, attached thereto; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the soap tray shown in FIG. 4 and indicating the manner of attachment of the supporting means.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like parts, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a fragmentary corner portion of a conventional combination bath tub and shower bath indicated in its entirety at 10. Included is a conventional shower curtain rod 12 for slidably supporting a shower curtain and the usual plumbing fixtures as indicated in FIG. 1.

A receptacle in the form of a soap tray indicated in its entirety at 14 is shown suspended from the shower curtain rod 12 by means of a hanger 16 in a positien downwardly of the shower curtain rod but above the 3,140,557 Patented July 14 1964 bath tub in aposition at approximately the hand level of aperson standing in the bath tub and utilizing. the shower bath facilities.

The hanger 16 is of relatively rigid plastic, metal or any other suitable material and, in the form of the in vention illustrated in FIG. 1,-the upper end thereof terminates in a reversely bent spring clip member 18 which fixedly engages the shower curtain rod 12 as indicated in FIG. 3 at any desired position along its length. It will be'apparent that in the. form of theinvention shown in FIG. 1 the hanger 16 when thrust upwardly and then downwardly of the rod 12 will effect engagement of the spring clip 18 with the rod and that when so engaged an upward thrust will efiect disengagement for removal or positioning elsewhere along the lengthof the rod 12.

In .the form of the :invention shown vin FIG. 2 the hanger 16 :is similarly constructed except that its upper end portion includesan aperture for receiving-a ringlike element which loosely engages the rodz12 so that the hanger may slide to any desired position along the length of the rod 12. The ring 20 may be one of the shower curtain rings already present and serve the combined function of supporting the shower curtain as well as the hanger 16 or it may be an additional ring-like member supporting only the hanger 16.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 the lower end of hanger 16 carries at its lower terminal end a cross-bar 22 formed of similar relatively rigid material. The cross-bar 22 may be formed as an integral member or secured to the hanger 16 in any other suitable manner such as by welding or adhesion and the purpose thereof is to serve as a key to lock the hanger in a recess 24 carried by the receptacle 14. Except for the recess 24 the receptacle or soap tray 14 may be of any desired character, conventional or otherwise.

The recess 24 is preferably formed in a sidewall portion of the receptacle 14 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and includes an open bottom portion through which the crossbar 22 of the hanger 16 may be drawn and an upper slot 26 through which the hanger 16 projects. The opposed end portions of the slot 26 are preferably arcuate as shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 also illustrates the manner of engagement and disengagement of the cross-bar 22 relative to the recess 24. As shown, the outer Wall of the receptacle 14 bounding the recess 24 is provided with a vertical opening 28 through which the lower end portion of the hanger 16 is angularly inserted, as shown in broken lines, for positioning in the slot 26, as shown in solid lines. The hanger 16 and receptacle 14 are then moved relatively toward each other so as firmly to seat the crossbar 22 in the recess 24 thus securely to lock the recptacle 14 in suspended position at the lower end of hanger 16. It will be apparent that the members may be readily disengaged upon reverse movement of the hanger 16 and cross-bar 22.

If desired, end posts 30 may be provided at the opposed ends of the recess 24 to limit any endwise movement of the cross-bar 22 therein but ordinarily the confines of the slot 26 which restrict any relative transverse movement of the hanger 16 will serve this same function.

In the, particular construction disclosed it is important that the vertical opening 28 communicate with recess 24 and the slot 26 adjacent one end thereof and be so re.- lated to the width of the slot 26 that the hanger 16 may be inserted through the opening 28 angularly of the slot 26 and then retracted inwardly of the opening 28 so that the hanger 16 and cross-bar 22 may be secured in axial alignment with the slot 26 and recess 24, respectively, thus to be locked against any upward or tranverse movement.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the present invention provides for a soap tray or other receptacle modified only by a recess such as indicated at 24 but otherwise of conventional character and capable of use for any conventional purpose but which is also capable of being removably supported in a convenient and sensible position in a shower bath by the hanger provided for this purpose.

It is also to be understood that the present invention is not confined to the precise constructions herein illustrated and described but includes all such modifications thereof as may come under the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A receptacle adapted for support in a shower including a shower curtain rod which comprises, in combination, an elongated hanger, means at the upper end of said hanger for engagement with the shower curtain rod so that said hanger is suspended from the shower curtain rod and means comprising a cross-bar and receiving recess therefor at the lower end of said hanger for removable engagement with the receptacle so that said receptacle is supported in a position downwardly of the shower curtain rod, the said hanger being of such length that the said receptacle is supported at approximately the hand level of a person standing in the shower.

2. The appaartus of claim 1 wherein the cross-bar is carried by the hanger and the receiving recess is carried by the receptacle.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the recess is provided in a sidewall portion of the receptacle.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the recess is provvided with a side opening for insertion of the hanger.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the side opening is provided adjacent one end portion of the recess.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the recess is provided with means for limiting the movement therein of the cross-bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,215,825 Lightbody Feb. 13, 1917 2,705,385 Markward Apr. 5, 1955 2,747,746 Laughton May 29, 1956 2,998,142 Reed Aug. 29, 1961 3,024,564 Schmidt Mar. 13, 1962 

1. A RECEPTACLE ADAPTED FOR SUPPORT IN A SHOWER INCLUDING A SHOWER CURTAIN ROD WHICH COMPRISES, IN COMBINATION, AN ELONGATED HANGER, MEANS AT THE UPPER END OF SAID HANGER FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SHOWER CURTAIN ROD SO THAT SAID HANGER IS SUSPENDED FROM THE SHOWER CURTAIN ROD AND MEANS COMPRISING A CROSS-BAR AND RECEIVING RECESS THEREFOR AT THE LOWER END OF SAID HANGER FOR REMOVABLE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE RECEPTACLE SO THAT SAID RECEPTACLE IS SUPPORTED IN A POSITION DOWNWARDLY OF THE SHOWER CURTAIN ROD, THE SAID HANGER BEING OF SUCH LENGTH THAT THE SAID RECEPTACLE IS SUPPORTED AT APPROXIMATELY THE HAND LEVEL OF A PERSON STANDING IN THE SHOWER. 